Manufacture of carbureted producer-gas.



T. f. FITZSIMMONS.

MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED PRODUCER GAS. APPLICATION FILED 0151:.9. 1908.

1,164,081. Patented Dec.14,1915.

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T. F. FITZSIMMONS, MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED PRODUCER GAS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. I908. 1,164,081. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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, York, have -THOMAS F. FIIZSIMMONS, OE BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

'MANUFACTURE OF GARBURETED PRODUCER-GAS.

Lieeosi.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. ia, iaia.

Application filed December 9, 1908. Serial No. 486,682.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS F. Frrzsni- Mons, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brooklyn, New

invented a new and useful Manufacture of Carbureted Producer-Gas, which isfully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates primarily to the production ofiixed carbureted producergas; also to the carburetingof producergas, obtained from higher grade anthracite coal 'or from inferior grades of anthracite, or from bituminous coal or coke or any carbonaceous fuel. And the invention consists of the process hereinafter set forth and claimed for the manufacture of fixedcarbu- Among the features of the invention are the introduction of the hydrocarbons, in the form of oil spray, into the crude gas at or about a predetermined temperature, and the subsequent subjectionof the mixture to still higher temperatures for the purpose of properly carbureting and fixing the gases.

Another feature is the continuous operation of the producer and the utilization of its crude gases first for heating the carbureting and fixing chamber, and subsequently for combining with the oil to produce the carbureted gas.

Gne feature of'my invention is based on the fact that in carbureting gases, there is a certain temperature (or range of temperature) where the oil used for that purpose is most effectively disintegrated or cracked. At lower temperatures the oil will not be completely or properly cracked, and the is hereinafter termed the critical tempera-l ture. This temoerature varies with the nature of the oil-itself, and the proper temperature for each specific oil is known to persons skilled in this art. The expression critical temperature as hereinafter used means a range of temperature around that point, rather than a sharply-defined specific de ree in aroperl fixin the carbureted. a .i J a gases, and yields a larger output of better quality than heretofore obtained by other processes; and that this treatment, applied to a mixture of oil-spray and producer-gas, yields fixed carbureted producer-gas.

The foregoing facts are utilized in the present process by first subjecting the oilspray, at the time of its introduction into he crude gases, to its critical temperature, and thensubjecting the mixture to gradually increasing temperatures above that critical temperature. Preferably this is accomplishedby providing a continuous out-put of the crude gases, and using the first portion of the make in connection with the oxygen of the air in imparting heat to the carbureting-and-fixing chamber until theleast-heated portion of the fixer (farthest away from the inlet) is of the critical temperature for the oil; next, introducing the succeeding make of crude gas, in connection with oil-spray, into this cooler portion as a carbureting-chamber, so as to subject the mixture to the critical temperature; thereafter conducting the mixture through the successive higher temperatures already imparted to the fixing-chamber; and, finally, when the carbureting-chamber has cooled below the critical temperature, reverting to the first step, of heating up the carbureting-and-fixing-chamber,so that the plant is operated continuously, and without any necessity for reversal or for drawing the fire etc. 7

v The invention will be best understood by describingthe novel apparatus for carrying out the novel process, by which is obtained the novel article of manufacture,-viz: fixed carbureted producer-gas.

In the-annexed drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a pre ferred plant or apparatus for carrying out theprocess; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

In these drawings 1 represents a producer, of any standard construction capable of continuous operation, in fact an ordinary blastfurnace may be availed of. a

2 indicates a conical hopper, upon which is preferably located a hearth of ashes to support the incandescent fuel.

3 is a charging-device located on top of the producer and having a drop-valve in its bottom and a cover on top.

t is an outlet from the top of the producer, having the water-cooled valve 5. 6 is a similar outlet from the top of the producer, having water-cooled valve 7, and vcommunicating with down-take passage 8, purgestack 9, and a water-seal 10, from which latter the conduit 11 leads to the condensers, scrubbers, purifiers, and gas-tank (not shown).

12 is a jet-blower leading to coils 13 within thedown-take 8, and thence to the twyer 1% within the base of the producer. An auxiliary jet-blower 15 leading to the same twyer, may be employed.

It will be understood that any approved producer may be employed, but I prefer one of the type indicated.

16 is the fixer, a cylinder formed of sheet-steel and lined with fire-brick; it own prises a combustion-chamber and a carbureting-chamber with a fixing-chamber between, and there is a continuous passage through all three.

17 represents a perforated arch or dome (or a series of parallel arches) of fire-brick, located near the bottom of the fixer 16. Heat-retainers, preferably a quantity of firebrick piled up upon this arch en echelon or checkerwise, fill up the interior of the chamber to a point near the top, to constitute the fixingchamber proper,thus leaving free the combustion-chamber 18 atthe bottom and the carburetingchamber 19 at the top of fixer 1G.

20 is a valve-closed purge-stack leading from the top'of the fixer 16.

e 21 and 22 are valve-controlled air-inlets communicating with the chambers 18 and 19 respectively, and operating in connection with air-blowers (not shown), as is Well understood.

7 similar purposes. At the upper end of the down-take 8, the passage 10 branches off to the waterseal; and from the top of passage 8- rises the valve-closed purge-stack 9: The

valve-controlled oil-pipe 24' leads. into the V suitable pyrometers for indicating the temperatures.

The operation of the plant comprises first the firing-up or starting of the producer, and continuously thereafter the alternating steps of heating-up thefixer 16 and of producing the carbureted gas. The producer may be started up under natural draft by introducing fuel and setting fire to it, leaving the purge-stack 9 open. Or,-a forced draft may be created by the jet-blowerlZ or by the auxiliary blower 15. -W'hen the fuel in the producer has become sufiiciently incandescent, and, inthe judgment of the attendant, a sufficient output of producer or other crude (that'is, uncarbureted) gas is being generated, the apparatus is ready for the heatingup run.

The. heating-up'run.+Purge-stack 9 and valve'5 (of the up-take 23) are closed, valve 7 (of the down take 8) and purge-stack 20 are opened, and thecrude gas passes'from the producer, through outlet 6 and downtake passage 8, into combustion-chamber 18,

whence the draft will be upward through the piled-up checker-brick and out at stack 20. The air-inlet '22 of the carburetingchamber 19 remains closed; but air-inlet 21 is opened to admit air to the combustion chamber 18, where it Iningles with the crude gases that are at a temperature of, say, ap-

preheated in coils 13 within downproximately 1000 degrees F. At once con1-' bustion takes place, involving a rise of temperature to, say, approximately, 2500 to 3000 degrees F. The products of combustion pass upward,-as indicated,-and in their upward course the heat isi'm'parted to the checker-brick. It is obvious that the temperature of the lower layers, in immediate contact with the combustion, will rise to 2500 degrees or over; and that, as the products of combustion continue to lose their heat in their upward course, they impart less and less heat to each successive layer of checkerbrick; so that the topmost layers, of all will be the least heated. This run of heating-up the fixer 16 will be'continued until the indication bv electrostat25 is around the highest permissible critical temperature. For instance, assuming that the critical temperaof the critical temperatur-tl500F,) ,while the'temperature from top to bottom in the fixing chamber is ever increasing until at the bottomit is nearly 3000 F. It will of course be understood that the temperatures named in this paragraph are approximations only, being given in round numbers merely up-take 28) is opened, as is the valve of the oil-pipe 24. It will be recalled that the make of crude gas is being continued without interruption; but, by reason of these changes of the valves, the crude gas now passesupward, through outlet 4 and up-take 23, into the carbureting-chamber 19,, whence the draft will be downward, and then out and up through the passage 8 and through the water-seal 10 to the gas-tank. The oilspray being admitted into carburetingchamber 19 mixes withthe crude gas under the influence of the critical temperature, and the oil is effectivelycracked, and its hydrocarbons carburet the gas. The carbureted gas, in its downward course through the checker-brick, encounters higher and higher temperatures, which properly and most effectively serve to fix it; and the fixed carbureted gas is delivered through the water-seal and ultimately to the gastank. This carbureting-run is continueduntil the attendant observes that the temperature of the carbureting-chamber has sunk appreciably below the lowest range of the critical temperature, when the valves are so moved as to resume the heating-up run. This alteration of the'heating-up run and the carbureting-run will be carried on continuously, without interruption, the producer being all the while operated continuously by the jetblower 12, while fresh fuel when needed is admitted through the charger 3. Ashes and clinker-s can be removed, by shaking the grate, opening the ash doors, etc, or a change from one kind of fuel to another may be made, without interrupting the op eration of the plant. 1

During the heating-up run the crude gases at high temperature are passing through the passage 8, and during the carbureting-run the fixed carbureted gases at even higher temperatures will be passing upward through the same passage; consequently, the coils 13 and 13 are constantly subjected to these high temperatures for preheating the air and steam and for. preheating the oil; and this otherwise waste heat may be made use of in other manners and for other purposes. Moreover, the presence within the wall ofdown-take 8 of these heat absorbing coils is valuable in gradually carbureting run.

lowering the temperature of the fixed carbureted gas. This gradual reduction of the temperature of the fixed gases is desirable, since a sudden chilling might cause more or less precipitation and consequent loss of hydrocarbons.

If it be desired that the carburetingchamber and the upper portion of the checker-brick be heated-up more directly, purge-stack 20 will be closed, the crude gas from theproducer will be admitted through up-take 28, and the upper air-inlet 22 opened to admit air for combustion within chamber 19,the draft being downward and out through passage 8 and purge-stack 9. This will be resorted to when the particular oil employed requires exceptionally high temperature for cracking; so that the fixer 16 will be first heated from chamber 18 and thenfrom chamber 19, before beginning the By providing a valve-closed passage branchlng from the uptake23 to the waterseal, the fixer can be operated upward, upper chamber '19 serving as the combustionchamber, and oil being introduced into the lower chamber 18 which then becomes the carbureting chamber. In short, the fixer 16 can be used in either direction or in both directions: First, by combustion at the bottom and carbureting at the top; second, combustion'at the topfo-llowed by carbureting at the bottom; and, third, combustion at the bottom followed by combustion at the top or vice versa), and then carbureting from the top (or bottom).

Heretofore, the only fixed carbureted gas known is carbureted water-gas; and this is made only from the best grades of anthracite coal; and also coke, etc., have been satisfactorily employed in making straight producer-gas or even straight water'gas. But by mypresent invention I produce fixed carbureted producer-gas, asa new and highly useful article of manufacture; moreover, by my process any of the fuels may be used efiectively and economically in producing first the crude gas, preferably producer-gas, andthen producing the fixed carbureted gas valuable for light, heat and power purposes.

The amount of oil admitted will be varied by the operator, according to whether the carbureted-gas is desired for illuminating purposes only or for heat and power purposes only or for all services, as will be well understood. It will likewise be evident that although .1 have described my invention as aprocess intended primarily for carbureting producer-gas, it may be employed for carbureting water-gas, although it is most efficient economical in carbureting producer-gas.

The amount of carbureted producer-gas (in cubic feet) obtained from one ton of the best anthracite coal by means-of my present process, is more than four times the amount 7 not used in making either straight or carbureted water-gas. And when my invention is employed with bituminous fuel, less oil for carbureting is needed, since the-everincreasing temperatures encountered in the fixer, recover the volatile elements (distilled from the coal) and properly fix them in the gas.

I have described my improved appa ratus with some particularity, but only for the sake of clearness, since changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention; and, moreover, my prccess'could be carried out, and my new gas be made,.by other apparatus than that herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of making carbureted producer-gas from producer-gas and oil, consisting in passing air through a bed of fuel to form producer-gas, igniting the gas and passing the resulting hot products through a fixing chamber, and then subjecting hot producer-gas and oil-vaporcommingled therewith to heat in said fixing chamber for the purpose of carbureting and fixing the gas product, and repeating the operations while the air only is continuously passed through the fuel.

2 The method of making carbureted producer-gas from producer-gas and oil, consisting in passing air through a bed offuel to form producer-gas, igniting the gas and passing the resulting hot products through a fixing chamber, and then subjecting hot producer gas and oil vapor commingled therewith to progressively increasing temperatures in said fixing chamber 'to carburet and fix the gas product, and repeating theoperaticns while the air only is continuously passed through the fuel in one direction.

a fixing chamber until the delivery end of the chamber attains a predetermined critical temperature for said 011, and then subjecting hot producer-gas and oil-vapor;

3. The method of making carbureted procommingled therewith to heat in said fixing chamber for the purpose of carbureting and fixing the gas product, and repeating the 1 operations while the air only is continuously passed through the fuel. 1

4. The method of making carbureted producer-gas from producer-gas andoil, con sisting 'in passing air through va'bed of fuel to form producer-gas, igniting the gas and passing the resulting hot products through a fixing chamber, and then subjecting hot producer-gas and oil-vapor cominingled therewith to heat insaid fixing chamber for the purpose of carbu'reting and fixing the gas product, then gradually cooling the product,- and repeating the operations while the air only is continuously passedthrough the fuel-in one direction. 1

5. The method of making carbureted producer-gas from producer-gas and oil, con sisting in blasting a deep bed of fuel with air to form producer-gas, igniting the gas and passing the resulting hot products through a fixing chamber until the delivery end of thechamber attains a predetermined critical temperature for said oil, then subjecting hot pro-ducergas and oil-vapor cominingled therewith to heat in said fixing chamber for the purpose of carbureting and fixing the gas product, then gradually cool ing the product, and repeating the operations while the air only is continuously passed through the fuel. a 1 V 6. The method of making carbureted producer-gas from producer-gasnand oil, consisting in passingair through a bed of fuel to form producer-gas, igniting the gas and passing the resulting hot products through V ducer-gas from producer-gas and oil, consisting in blasting a deep bed of fuel with air to form producer-gas, igniting the gas and passing the resulting hot products through a fixing chamber until the delivery end of the chamber attains a predetermined critical temperature for said oil, then subjecting hot producergas and oil-vapor commingled therewith toprogressively in creasing temperatures in said fixing chamber to carburet andfix the gas product, and repeating the operations while the air only is continuously passed through the fuel.

8. The method of making carbureted producer-gas from producer-gas and oil, consisting in blasting a deepbed of fuel with air to form producer-gas, igniting the gas and passing the'resulting hot products jecting hot producer-gas and oil-vapor comniingled therewith to progressively increaslng temperatures 1n said fixing chamber to carburet and fix the gas product, then grad-V ually cooling the product, and repeating the operations While the air only is continu- 13 ously passed through the fuel.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS F. FITZSIMMONS.

"Witnesses:

G. A. L. MAssI RALPH L. SCOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

